Who Knew
by HevaBeanXD
Summary: AU and slightly out of character KiddWay - what could have happened had Ah Tabai arrived a month earlier. Rated M
1. Chapter 1

April 20th 1720

"Mary Read and Anne Bonny" the judge tells the crowd of our crimes. Scanning the faces no one dares hold my eye contact, none except for one. Edward Kenway sits shackled between two guards. His eyes don't leave Anne, I guess I knew this is how it would be. "You will be hung by the neck until dead, dead, dead" he looks distraught, struggling against his captors to try and save Anne.

"We're pregnant" I shout and for once his eyes leave Anne and fall to me, I never did get to tell him. One drunken night I would never be able to forget.

"Wh-wh-what did they say" the judge bumbles trying to keep some order.

"They plead their bellies m'lord" the guard next to him looks just as thrown off as the crowd does.

"Fine, you shall remain imprisoned until otherwise" Anne retorts with a joke about being knocked up the second time they'll come for her. The judge doesn't take kindly to it and orders the guards to lead us to our cells, my last view of Edward is him being marched away as well.

oOoOoOo

"Did Rackham know?" I question Anne. Our cells sit side by side, in the joining wall 3 bricks are missing. She looks through with a mixture of fear and sadness

"I told him, aye" a stray tear slips down her cheek "whether he knew or forgot thanks to drink, I suppose I'll never know" its odd thinking that we both sit knowing our children will never know their fathers and their fathers will never know they had children. Anne puts her hand in the gap and I place mine over hers as a sign of solidarity that we will fight together till the end. All around us the wails of woman call out, some for justice some for children who have been ripped from their arms. I want to join them to allow all of my anger out but somehow I stop myself, the guards can't be allowed to see my weaknesses

oOoOoOoOoOo

January 1st 1720

"Happy New Year Anne, Mary" Edward holds his bottle of rum in a toast, we chink bottles and sat by him. Immediately Anne's attention goes to Jack Rackham whose slumped over the table across the bar, I hope she doesn't leave me here with Kenway he's nothing but a thorn in my side, sadly she does just that and sidles over to rouse the captain. All of the men who drink at The Old Avery are sweet on Anne but only the lucky ones get their way, I guess Kenway wishes he was one of them the way he stares after her like a pup whose mother has wandered off.

"Cheer up, they won't be long" I joke but it doesn't amuse him "You've got a face like a slapped arse, you running out of rum?" a smile tickles his lips but I leave him to it, sod him if he thinks I'm putting in all of the effort.

"So Mary hows James been recently?" I left my alter ego in Tulum knowing I would be safe among friends and those who feared me.

"Aye he's good, I heard he was searching for buried treasure" Kenway laughs this time

"Kidd you've got to be one of the bravest women I know, not many would swap so frequently between genders" the drink makes him confident, more cocky than confident actually "What one do you prefer, the life of a … Lady or the life of a lad free to do what he wishes"

that's an odd question to be asked, I suppose all of my life I have been used to having to act like a lad that I never questioned what I would be like now had I had the choice to act feminine "I like the life of a female, no bounds and plenty more perks" I flirted, that got his attention I felt a thrill of having this power. To make men silent by simply uttering words, it gave me a buzz.

"Oh aye, and what might those perks be?" he leant over so he was more than halfway across the table in between us.

"Well, you find men fall over their feet to do anything for you. For example" I turned to a young lad behind the bar and winked at him within seconds he headed straight to us and plonked down two fresh bottles of rum "You find a simple wink can have the strongest men under your control" his mouth hung open like a gold fish and if I had wanted him to, he would have done almost anything I had asked. Taking a swig from my bottle I raised it to his "To control and freedom aye Edward"

"Control and freedom"

A few hours and a few drinks for the worst we wound up on the beach around a bonfire, the waves crashed against the sand and apart from the crackle of the fire there was silence.

"How did the sea get you Mary?" Edward looks at me and although I felt in control earlier I feel that control almost slipping, his gaze affects me in a way I've never felt before.

"My brother died at a young age. All I can remember is my mother cutting my hair short and dressing me in his clothes, I took his job so that my mother and I could keep the house. So when they confused me for a lad and enrolled me to work on the ships I suppose I never looked back once. The freedom of sailing gave me all the opportunities I never thought I would get" he looks back shocked, I suppose he assumed I had ran away and disguised myself as a lad to get onto the ships. That's the only down side of being a woman, the superstitious men who wont have you on their ships when in reality the only bad luck I bring is to the ship I'm hunting.

"Wow, didn't that put you off the sea? Being forced to work upon it?"

"No, without that I would have never seen the workings of a ship. In that sense I'm thankful to my mother for all those years ago"

"What about you Kenway, how did you become a captain?" I've heard stories but want to know how he'll portray his life of piracy

"I suppose greed in a sense, I thought what I had wasn't good enough. I wanted more, I wanted endless riches and to make a name for myself. I guess I got that, I just lost so much to get here" now its my turn to be shocked, the great Edward Kenway captain of The Jackdaw sounds almost like a broken man "But that's nothing rum can't fix" he swigs on his bottle until its empty and starts on the last one, offering it to me I accept and we sit there two friends who have lost so much to be here.

Completely inebriated no one thinks to stoke the fire and within a few minutes it has reduced to embers "damn it, how are we gonna keep warm now" I curse at the flickering ashes

"I have a good idea" retorts Edward, by now he's completely pissed and I'm not far behind him

"Aye and what's that then Kenway" that rush of power comes over me and I know that if he tries anything I won't stop him, not unless I want him to that is.

"Well, I thought we might be able to share some body heat" he attempts a wink but due to the copious amounts of alcohol he's consumed it turns out to be more of a blink, saving him the effort I cover the small distance between us I put my lips next to his ear and whisper

"And how do you propose we do that Captain" I hear him swallow and know that I've got him right under my control. I start slowing sucking on his ear lobe until a feral growl rips out of his throat, I then gently position myself so I'm hovering over him, my legs either side. Trailing the kisses down his neck I remove every item of clothing I come across until I'm left with just his shorts, slowly untying them I notice his hands bunch in the sand. I stop to look up and notice an animal look in his eyes, with one swift movement I remove my lower clothing and lower myself onto him. Immediately he hands shoot to my hips gripping them tighter I take this as a sign and slowly start to rise and fall on him, his hands move from my hips removing my corset and blouse as quickly as he can freeing my breasts. I start going quicker the look on his face telling me I have him right where I want him, I feel him getting close and a few seconds later his face confirms it. Hiding his face in my shoulder I feel him nibbling me trying to regain some control so I whisper "Edward" his response comes in the form of him crying my name as we climax together. We fall back onto the sand in a tangled mess and stay that way for a while until we role over and sleep.

I wake to find Edward wrapped around me from behind and I'm grateful that I'm the first to wake, slowly I free myself from his grip and dress glad no one saw us. I wonder whether to leave a note or just leave him here to wake and have the night as a blur, in the end I opt just to leave him and make my way to the docks where my ship is waiting for me

oOoOoOoOoOo

July 15th 1720

Every day it seems either a woman leave a cell for the gallows or a child leaves in the arms of the guards, I feel huge and it fills me with dread that it could be me soon. Anne sits by our community hole as we've nicknamed it, she's smaller than me probably by a couple of months we tell each other every twinge that we feel or every time we've been ill. I count myself lucky in the sense that after the first few months my sickness stopped, sadly the same can't be said for Anne luckily for us this means a couple of guards pass her extra food every so often she always shares it with me even though I tell her not to. The news of Rackham's execution made it around the prison quickly and it affected Anne more than she would like to admit. Luckily for us the nights guards come into the cell block to relieve the guards, night is the best time because the guards that do work just sit and either gamble or sleep. Although tonight seems different there are only 4 guards when usually there are 8 alone sat in our section, I make Anne aware and she agrees its rather odd. That's when I spot him, at first I don't know who it is just a man in the shadows until he runs to the guards with their backs to him and thrusts to swords through their chests. Edward is quickly joined by Ah Tabai, a quick search of the bodies and they produce a set of keys. Within minutes the doors to our cells are opened its only then I see how bad Kenway looks, his skin is covered in sunburn and blisters not to mention the dried patch of blood on his shirt. He helps Anne up and Ah Tabai comes to my side, but Anne is weaker from her illness and the weight of her on Edwards skin proves too much. The assassin is one swift movement shifts from my side and picks her up in his arms, leaving me to walk with Kenway.

As we leave the prison block he instructs us to stick to the shadows to prevent detection and to wait if necessary, I kept as low as I could although in my condition that was easier said than done. Eventually after what felt like ages we reached the beach where a rowing boat was waiting in the waves. Ah Tabai rows us out to sea and we drift for a while until a brig is in our sights, a signal from us and they sail by picking us up and heads for Tulum.

oOoOoOoOoOo

August 1st 1720

I was woken before the sun had risen by Anne writhing in agony, panic washed over me this was way too early! Anne's wails had already woken everyone but my shouts were the reason they ran to our hut, the look on everyone's faces confirmed what I had originally thought so I gripped my friend and tried to help her the best I could.

After a long labour Anne gave birth to a son he was so small and still that he looked like he was just sleeping, it broke my heart to see her sobbing nothing anyone said could console her. After a while of sitting there she looks drained.

"Does he have a name?" I'm scared that maybe its too soon to ask, but maybe burying him will help.

"I suppose I never thought of a name for him, I guess if it had gone well I would have called him Jack" I loop my arms round her.

"How about we find a place for him? Where do you think he would like it best?" she looks out to the ocean and I get what she means immediately "I'll ask Ah Tabai if he'll take us out to sea shall I?" she nods and tears up again, I leave her to cry for a bit and go to find the Assassin.

When I do finally find him he's talking to Edward, I pick up on their conversation before I reach them.

"I'm just saying that I have a lot of unused rooms in the manor, maybe they should stay with me and have full access to the doctor on the Island" Edward originally mentioned us going to Great Inagua with him but Ah Tabai thought the journey would be too long with us all being so weak, now a comfortable bed sounds like the best thing out there "What's your thoughts Mary?" I'm surprised he cares what I think.

"I think a change of scenery would do Anne some good, go somewhere that memories can't haunt her" Ah Tabai nods in encouragement.

"I'll sort you out passage to Inagua and wish you well, you know where we are should you ever need us"

oOoOoOoOoOo

August 2nd 1720

We set sail at dawn just me, Anne and Edward. Anne sits in the captains cabin not talking to anyone I respect her wishes and give her some space, so I find myself standing at the front of the ship staring out to sea. The wind feels nice its the same wind I always feel but its so much better on a ship, I thought I was by myself until I hear Edward clear his throat.

"I'm surprised you aren't at the helm Kenway" I smirk turning my attention back to the waves.

"Aye, I was going to until I saw you stood here alone" the statement shocks me but not as much as his next line does "So Rackham fathered Anne's child but where's your lover?" I fumble around for an answer and almost tell him the truth, but somehow I think back to how in the court his eyes were for Anne only and realise that he can't have remembered.

"Some drunk, never seen him since" Anne knows, one particularly bad night in prison I let everything out, she promised she wouldn't tell anyone and that if I wanted anyone to know that it would come directly from me. I don't know how we would be if he knew that in 2 or less months he would be a father. The answer must have been satisfactory because he doesn't bring it up again.

After roughly 12 hours of sailing we reach the island, although I love the sea the waves played havoc with my balance and I've never been so happy to see dry land. Although when I'm off the ship I'm amazed at how the Island has changed, what used to be a group of drunken pirates is now a small town with people walking between shops and taverns. The crew head to the beach and its good to think some things never change.

"This way" Edward starts walking up the road through the middle of the town as we follow I realise the Island really has expanded, torches light the way but its not the dark that would make me lost its all the stores with different items for sale. We turn left off the main street and through a quieter road lined by houses, towards the end of the road stands a stone arch I remember helping Edward capture the Island. The Manor looks rejuvenated as well, the walls have been painted and the gardens tidier. I don't tell Kenway, it would only make his head bigger. He leads us through the doors and shows us to two rooms down stairs.

"I thought it would be easier for you both if you were on the ground floor" yet again he surprises me with how much he has thought this through, stairs feel like my enemy now I'm not as agile as I was and Anne moves much slower since she gave birth.

oOoOoOoOoOo

August 21st 1720

The rooms in the manor get so warm that I find myself going outside and walking to find shade and a breeze. Most of the time I head away from the town I can't deal with that many people around me, pregnancy has made me cranky and I find myself wanting to hit people over the smallest of incidents. I get odd looks from people living here, I guess a heavily pregnant woman wearing a large blouse and shorts isn't a day to day sight for them.

Today I decided to sit on the far beach on the island the sea is warm but not hot, it clears the sweat from my skin so I sit in the shallow waves for a while. I make sure I head back before dark I would hate to be shouted at again, anyone would have thought I was defenceless the way Kenway had sent a party out to search for me.

The baby has become much more active since being here I guess he likes the food, its weird I used to tell Anne everything now I barely see her unless she passes me to get to the tavern. At first the movements feel unnatural and foreign, but maybe I've softened in my age I now regularly find myself talking to him, telling what I can see and what he will soon see. I keep having the same dream every night, a blonde haired, blue eyed baby sits in my arms the spitting image of his father I go to hand him to Edward but he turns and leaves with Anne. It was this dream that made me realise there was no hiding it from him, I had to tell him, I just hadn't had the courage to do so yet.

I stay on the beach for about an hour before heading back and before I reach town I can hear Anne before I see her, she's drunk again and shouting all sorts. I hurry as much as I can and get there in time to see Edward and another man carrying Anne up towards the house.

"Ah here she is, my best friend Mary" slurs Anne "Fat good she's been, barely seen her" I know its the drink talking but it still hurts, I always say that people say what they mean when they don't know the consequences.

"Come on Anne lets get you back and get you lying down" Edward tries to bargain with her but its no use

"Why, what have I said wrong now?" he rolls his eyes and tries to walk further with here but she wriggles free "You don't know what she's like" whatever that means

"Come on this isn't you, this is the rum talking" he attempts to regain her arm but she holds them closer to herself and steps back

"Well you don't do you, I mean she's having your child and hasn't even told you yet. Jesus I don't know if she was ever gonna tell you!" Shit! The look he gives me when he realises what she has said sends both chill and fear through me, I look down looking for an answer but come up with nothing, turning on my heal I waddle as quickly as I can to the manor grateful that I can't hear anyone following me. I reach my room and shut the doors, what has just happened hasn't fully settled in.

After a while I move from the doors and sit on the bed in the room, the events finally settling in, not long after the tears start to fall.

After the sun has set I hear footsteps entering the manor, listening closer I can tell that there is more than one. Someone stands just outside my door, their shadow shrinks as they move away and run up the stairs. I roll over and try to ignore the crashing sounds from upstairs, this is what I had initially feared.

oOoOoOoOoOo

August 24th 1720

The past few days have been terrible, I haven't dared to leave my room and Edward has continued to smash up anything he can reach. Luckily enough the windows are rather large and if the wind is right they let the breeze into my room. But I have decided that today I will leave my room, whether I see him or not.

I stand by my doors for ages talking myself into what I'll say if I see him, I needn't have worried because when I get into the hall way I'm the only one there. I head straight out the manor and into the streets not daring to look up at the rooms on the top floor, I turn right at the end of the road into the jungles and straight to the beach.

Half way through the jungle it starts raining complimenting how I'm feeling right about now, however the rain is such a welcome break from how hot its been recently that I start smiling to myself about how ridiculous this whole situation that I've caused is.

The beach is empty as usual, so I pick a spot under some palms and stretch out.

"What do you reckon to this mess I've caused aye?" I've started calling him William after my supposed father, although whether that's his name will have to wait. I feel like its a boy he's stubborn, can't sit still for long and a pain in my side all traits he shares with his father. I struggle to sleep most nights because as soon as I get comfortable he decides that he would like to turn over, I'm so tired that the patch of sand I'm lying on feels comfortable, so much so that I feel myself drifting off.

William stirring is the only reason I wake, slowly sitting up I realise how late it must be. I quickly waddle back to the town in search of some food. I wish I had found food instead near to the edge of the jungle something hungry leaps at me from the trees. I curl up as small as I can and hope to god its quick or that someone finds me. I don't have to wait long until I hear something else crashing through the shrubs, another panther no doubt. I clutch my stomach hoping to reduce any damage caused, that's when I feel a spray of warm liquid hit me followed by a pained yowl. The attack stops although I stay down just in case, when I do look up I'm surprised to see Anne stood over the carcass of the beast her sword covered in blood.

"Jesus Mary what were you thinking?" the severity of what could have happened sets in and I start to feel weak. Now close to fainting Anne grabs me and shouts hoping that someone can hear her. Luckily for us two men that I recognise as crew from one of the ships rush to our aid and help us back to the Manor. My wounds aren't that bad but you wouldn't be able to tell that from the amount of blood that covers my clothes. God knows what it must have looked like to people in the streets; me covered in bloody slashes, clutching at my bump, being half dragged half helped to the manor whilst Anne follows behind a bloody sword in her hand.

As soon as reach the manor I'm put on my bed and the doctor is called, the last thing I remember is the doors to my room opening and that's when I blacked out.

oOoOoOoOoOo

August 25th 1720

Yet again I'm awoken by William "You couldn't have waited till the the morning could you?" I mutter and roll over, however the voice that responds means that sleep is not an option

"That's exactly what I was planning" I freeze up unsure, I sit up slowly but as quickly as my arms can lift me, the damage to my arms now hidden due to them being covered in bandages "So, where do we start?" he's sat in a chair next to my bed a serious yet hurt look masks his face "How about why you didn't tell me?"

"I suppose I remembered you had a wife! Or had you forgot that?" its harsh I know but its true.

"You obviously chose to forget it, or this wouldn't have happened" motioning towards myself "Forget it, I can't be done with this"

"I suppose like you forgot this happened in the first place" this is getting us nowhere but I don't want to back down, I try to get off the bed but wriggling across the bed is near impossible when you're angry and heavily pregnant! But I get off eventually and start to waddle out the manor. Foot steps follow me but he doesn't say anything. "I have nothing more to say Edward, just leave me alone and forget this ever happened! I won't bother you with this" I point to my bump and he looks like I've slapped him round the face, but thankfully he stops following me.

The harbour master looks shocked that I need a ship to get off the island, yet he still finds me passage off the island with a trade ship. Its as we are leaving that I spot him heading to the tavern, he catches me watching him, its only when we are out to sea that he breaks eye contact.

oOoOoOoOoOo

13th September 1720

I'm back in Tulum and have been for over a week, when I returned I spotted a familiar face ashore. Adewale the jackdaws quarter master stands waiting for me.

"He best not have sent you Ade!" I shout to him

"Why would I have?" this confuses me further "I have left my days of a quarter master behind me, Ah Tabai extended the offer to myself as well as to Edward. I suppose the words meant something to me"

However since returning I have realised how dangerous this Island is, the Templars know our location thanks to Edwards betrayal all those years ago. Now almost twice every month rogue crews set about trying to attack us, I feel useless every time just hiding out of sight and hoping they don't fine me. Today is no different, me hidden amongst shrubs whilst everyone else is stuck in battle.

oOoOoOoOoOo

30th September 1720

It's nearly unbearable now, all I do is sit around waiting for the day William decides to make his appearance. Its been over a month since I've seen Edward, although he has been to the island I have made sure to miss him every time. Anne came to see me one of the visits, she pleaded with me to come back with her and I almost accepted but only because I was relatively more comfortable there.

oOoOoOoOoOo

12th October 1720

I sat on my own unable to put up with anyone today when the pains started, I thought people over exaggerated how much it hurt but that's where I was wrong. I'm grateful for the fact that when I shout that people come running immediately and I'm taken straight to our healer on the island.

The rest feels like a blur of shouting and agony, its not till the next day after the sun has risen that she is finally born. His eyes stare out of a beautiful dark haired baby girl, they are so curious flitting left and right with every movement. I can't help but watch her she's the most precious thing I have ever seen, already more important to me than my own life.

oOoOoOoOoOo

17th October 1720

As I suspected some one had been watching me because 4 days after she was born, he turned up. As usual I managed to avoid him for most of the day I sat hidden watching my daughters every move and that's how he found me. Sat in the shade I first hear the foot steps but dismiss them as anyone until they stop behind me, her eyes flit over my shoulders no doubt studying his face.

"Would you have told me?" I hear him crouch down to get a better look at his daughter

"No, I suppose I knew you would find out" I scoop her up and stand facing him

"Do they have a name?" his informants didn't know much then

"She is called Charlotte" as if on cue she lets out a wail and I try desperately to calm her, walking away from him to our hut "shush darling" I try rocking her but it doesn't work, I curse inwardly wondering why now she couldn't be calmed.

"Let me try" I swirl to find him stood in the door, not wanting to raise my voice I hand her over making sure he's holding her right. It looks like her brow furrows surveying this stranger who is now captivated by her, he looks awkward but some how also a natural "You know she'd be safer back on Inagua" the whole time he never looks away from her

"Aye I suppose she would be, but she is much too young to travel!" I know that she needs to be inside especially coming up to winter, Edward's manor has everything she needs and the shore is protected by the bay "She can travel home in a month" that's when he looks away from her. I realised I called his Manor home and it was for a few months, apart from my ship its the longest I've ever settled. With a curt nod he stares down at his daughter and plants a kiss on her forehead, he hands her to me and walks out leaving me confused.


	2. Chapter 2

**I received a few reviews for the last chapter saying I'm confused which is fine, next time please put why because that confused me :P this is an alternative universe where Mary never Died and her Daughter is Edward's. Mary is out of character shes softened, Edward is slightly but mainly based on the final sequence with Jenny :) hope you enjoy thanks for all the follows, favourites and reviews. Also Merry Christmas! hope everyone has an amazing day, if you don't celebrate Christmas I hope your day is just as amazing  
**

17th November 1720

As promised Edward waited a month and then came back for us, the sails of the jackdaw are visible for a while before the ship reaches the docks. Charlotte has been asleep all morning and I hope that she stays that way for the journey, god only knows what a one month old is like on a ship. I gave all my weapons back to Ah Tabai hoping that I would reclaim them in a few years, he insisted I keep my hidden blade. That and Charlotte is all I have when I stand near the harbour waiting for the crew to dock, the gang plank reaches out from the ship and he walks off it making a beeline straight to where I stand. However when he realises how fast he's walking he almost stops, I feel a pang of guilt for him so cover the rest of the ground between us

"Kenway" I nod obviously stuck for words he answers with a simple nod "What's the matter, cat got ya tongue?"

"I suppose I don't know what to say because the whole way here I feared you might have changed your mind" what?

"Well its not about what I want any more" looking down at Charlotte asleep in my arms "Its about what she needs" I look back up to see his eyes planted firmly on his daughter "You wanna hold her?" his gaze lifts and he looks like a broken man, I never thought for one minute it would affect him like this.

"Aye, I can't believe how fast she's grown!" I hand over my daughter and start walking to the ship "Mary" he calls after me, I turn to find him routed to the spot "Its one thing to hold her, but I don't feel comfortable walking at the same time" I know exactly what he means, I walk over to him and shift her so she lies flat on his chest

"Put one hand on the lower part of her back and the other where ever you feel fits best" he swaps his hands around one cradling her head "now try walking" we both head to the ship

"I can't believe how much hair she has" running his fingers through it, little things I'm so used to already.

When we reach the ship he hands her over to me and goes to the helm, cradling a now awake Charlotte I go at sit at the back of the ship. I notice Edward isn't actually captaining the ship instead he's acting as a quarter master, clearly so he can leave his post if he wants to. The ship sets out to sea and I give Charlotte a running commentary on what the crew will be doing she gurgles away to herself until she lets a out sharp squeal, I chuckle at it its a sound I always hear but Edward rushes over his face covered with panic

"Edward she's OK, if anything is wrong I'll shout okay?" he hesitates but stand as if to leave

"I thought I might sit with her?" he crouches down "We could go sit in the captains cabin if you'd prefer" I was going to ask if I could, she'll be hungry in an hours time

We head down to his cabin and I'm surprised to see 2 arm chairs in there, his desk and everything else has been pushed back to the far wall. I sit in one chair and lie Charlotte on my chest whilst Kenway sits opposite me.

"Were you really not gonna tell me?" I thought I heard his voice falter if it did he regained his composure quickly

"It wasn't a matter of not wanting to, at first I never thought I would get the chance. I should have died in that prison and you would have to, then there was the fact I didn't know if you even remembered that anything happened in the first place!" a smile crosses his face which confuses the hell outta me.

"There is one particular morning I remember waking and being covered by just a blanket, all on my own on a beach with bottles and a fire as the only things left from the night before" this makes me smile "I'm guessing that Charlotte is the outcome of that night before? Am I right?"

"Aye, my persuasive powers meant the rum was flowing freely. I think we may have had too much and the rest as we say is history" as if on queue Charlotte starts moaning "If you don't mind Kenway I'm gonna need some privacy" he gets up to leave stopping just before the door

"It's not like I haven't apparently seen it before" he smirks but grants me privacy

When Charlotte is fed and sorted she lets out a small yawn, looking around I notice nothing I could put her in. Both of the chairs in the office have solid arms so I pull them together and make a makeshift crib, inside I place my jacket and then lay my daughter onto it. I sit for about 20 minutes just watching her sleeping, I could sit for hours watching her tiny chest rise and fall. There's a knock at the door so I somehow tear myself away from her to open it, Edward stands there as if when he left he stayed right outside.

"We're done now you can come back in" I shut the door behind him "Although the smallest person in the room has taken up both of the chairs" he goes over to Charlotte, the same look of awe crosses his face "I find myself watching her all the time"

"I'm glad I didn't get to miss everything, why wouldn't you stay at Inagua? Surely you felt more comfortable giving birth there?" he pinches the bridge of his nose "I'd even found a doctor who specialised in child birth to come to the Island for you!" I can't believe he did that for me!

"I was angry, the way you looked at me when you find out you were gonna be a father scared me" he looks shocked and starts playing with his hands "I know I was wrong to not tell you straight away, but they way you smashed your room at the manor was what made me leave!" I go over to him and place a hand on his shoulder "I truly am sorry Edward"

"If I'd have known Mary, I" he pauses for a while "I'd have looked after you both" he takes my other hand a plants a kiss on it then pulls me into a hug, it feels odd but I embrace him anyway. If this is going to work neither of us can afford to be hostile "That night Anne bought you in, I was coming to talk to you. To see you lying there so fragile and bandaged scared me. When I reached for your hand on the bed, she kicked me as if to tell me to sort myself out. I sat there talking to her for ages, that's why I panicked when you woke I thought it had been my fault" I smile at the thought of Charlotte waking me up trying to get her parents to talk, its a nice thought but its only that a thought.

"Aye she liked to wriggle, I always thought I was having a boy because she shared so many of your traits" it makes me laugh how I used to call her William.

"She looks like you though" We stand two parents staring down on the most precious thing we have ever seen "She definitely has your hair"

"Aye, but she has your eyes. Not that I needed to but when she was born and she looked at me I knew she was yours straight away" I hear him chuckle lightly

"Like my eyes do ya then? Is that how I charmed you"

"No, I prefer my daughters to yours and anyhow I don't think your eyes did much of the work that night to be honest"

"I Truly wish you had said something sooner Mary, or at least told me what had happened. I would like to have thought we would have tried to make it work" I look gone out

"On the destructive path you were set on, I fear it would have thrown us further apart" Charlotte kicks her legs out mid-dream which softens my anger "I suppose I should thank you for that night though, without you I wouldn't have the most important person in my life right now" I kneel next to the chair and stroke her hair, I want to do nothing more than just hold her somehow I refrain.

She stays asleep for the rest of the journey until the call for land goes up, startled she lets out a wail. I try to soothe her but its no good, Kenway looks worried which makes me laugh.

"You want to try?" I don't give him a choice so I lie her on his chest like I did earlier, we screams calm to a murmur "I'm going to look outside" without giving him a chance to complain I leave the cabin and watch the shore get closer.

It feels almost good to be back.


	3. Chapter 3

31st December 1720

Everyone is at the beach or the tavern celebrating the end of the year, whilst I sit in my room watching Charlotte dream and remembering back to last year. Edward wanted to stay but I told him its not worth two of us sitting around twiddling our thumbs whilst she sleeps. So I now swap between watching Charlotte or the candles that light my room.

When we reached the manor instead of the room I had previously stayed in Edward took us upstairs to one of the bigger rooms, at the end of my bed stood a crib. He later admitted to going to Havana to get what Charlotte had needed, the woman had sold him some massive pink monstrosity so he has taken a blade to the frills until a simple wooden crib had been left. The very same woman had also sold him numerous baby clothes and other such necessities for a baby.

My room is next to his and every night when Charlotte lets out the smallest cry he's there before I can get out of bed, he offers me help every time until he realises that's one thing he can't do for her.

I'm tempted to sleep myself until I hear a light tabber on the door "Come in" I whisper and make my way over to the door, Edward stands there bottle of rum in hand yet completely sober.

"I thought we could celebrate the new year together? Just the two, well the three of us I suppose. As an attempt to make up for last year" I step aside allowing him to walk into my room

"Aye I suppose we could, although you can do the drinking for all of us" he puts the bottle of the floor and that's where it stays for the rest of the night, I sit on my bed and he fetches one of the seats and drags it next to me.

"What was it like last year? I know you said rum was involved, but was I at least talking to you?"

"Aye we were talking, we talked at the tavern about James and how I came to be a captain. Then we moved to the beach and talked over all sorts, from Nassau to a ship wreck you had dived at the day before. That's when the fire died and you made some comment about being cold and how we should warm up, I suppose I tried to push you to see how far you would go. I could have made you strip and walk through the streets wearing only a bandanna that night, when it was over we fell asleep. I woke the next morning to you wrapped around me, I didn't leave a note because I didn't want to cheapen what had happened. I waited for a few weeks to see if you would come to me to talk about what happened or if you had even remembered, a few weeks later I realised that I was pregnant and the day after that me and Anne were caught" its weird to think how quickly its all gone, the prison still haunts me but that happened five months ago "Does that answer all your questions?"

"Were you definitely gonna tell me?" I think back to when I decided to tell him, back to Anne and realise I haven't seen her around

"Aye, the day Anne told you I was on my way to. I had sat on the beach for ages thinking of how to tell you, when I had the words I started on my way back. Only to find you sorting Anne out and obviously you remember everything else" he looks over to the crib and sighs

"You say I gave you a look the day I found out, what did it look like?" I shudder at the thought,

"You looked like I had betrayed you and stabbed you in the process, there was both pain and anger there. I remember wanting to get away from there and just hiding, I have never felt so evil in all my life"

"I think what hurt me most was you leaving, that along with what you said to me before you left and always hiding from me when I came to Tulum" I chuckle to myself

"If you had looked hard enough you probably would have found me, I wasn't exactly easy to conceal" I sigh "I only hid because I couldn't take any more rows, she would always punish me for raising my voice" I smile at down at my hands and pick up the courage to ask him "I always thought you liked Anne, when we were in court your eyes never left her. I think that was another reason I never told you, I didn't want you to feel obliged to stay with me"

"My eyes were only on Anne because I knew you could handle anything that was thrown at you, where as Anne as rough as she is would need help" I can't be sure if what he's saying Is true but one thing I know is I'm going to need to sleep if I am sorting Charlotte out tomorrow.

"Sorry to cut this short Edward but I need some sleep if I'm going to look after Charlotte tomorrow" he goes to get up but lingers before he's left the bed

"Can I stay and watch her while you sleep?"

"I don't see why not, just don't wake her and if you need me just wake me OK?" he gets up and pulls my covers around me

"Aye, good night Mary" he sits on the base of my bed watching our daughter dream, I watch him for a while but slowly my eyes droop and I fall into a deep sleep. Dreams of Edward fill most of my sleep. Some where we are talking about Charlotte others where he's talking about us as if we are a couple.

I wake up before Charlotte does in the morning, opening my eyes I find Edward asleep on the pillow next to me his fingers not far from where my hand just was. Slowly getting up to not disturb either of them I go to wash my face and find some breakfast, by the time I reach my room Charlotte is just stirring.

"Good morning darling" I scoop her up and take her over to the window trying to occupy her for a bit, its no good and after a few minutes she starts crying for food.

"Morning" Edward groggily sits up and realises where he is

"Sorry she's just hungry that's all, I was gonna wake you or find another room"

"It's OK I don't mind" he takes his jacket off and droops it over my shoulder, I raise my eyebrow as if to question why he's done that "I thought we could talk some more and I could spend more time with her, obviously she needs her mother for some things so I thought during that time we could pick up from where we left off last night?"

"Sure, just gimme a minute" I unbutton my top making sure I'm covered up completely and start feeding Charlotte, its not a bad idea using a jacket to cover myself I normally find a completely secluded spot and sit alone "What did we end on last night?"

"I suppose you were saying about Anne, I want to make it clear that had you come to me and said what had happened my eyes would have been only for you" I'm not so sure the rum has remained untouched from last night "I don't know if I've ever told you this, sober or drunk but you've got to be one of the bravest women I know. To top it all off you were going to raise a child on your own, with no money or support"

"Aye believe it or not that was one of your chat up lines that night, I don't suppose I would have been completely alone but then again I don't know what the assassins would be like as a baby sitter" I check on Charlotte to find that she has dozed back off, I redress myself and shift her round so she's flat on my chest "You said that I forgot you had a wife, can I just say that I never meant to affect that relationship in anyway at all"

"I've said for a long time that it's been over, I write to her and never get any response. If you ask Ade he'll back me up" he scratches his wrist and at first it seems to be a normal thing to do until he pulls his sleeve back, there on a patch of what use to be empty skin is a newly tattooed C

"When did you have that done?" I motion to his wrist

"A day before I came to get you both, I have all sorts already I thought it's time to have something of true meaning with me at all times. You don't like it?" I walk round to him to inspect it more.

"It's nice, I'm just annoyed you got it done first" I joke, I had almost as many tattoos as he did until this one . The wrist I was holding loosens from my grip as he strokes my face, not sure where this is going I step back but he just stands and joins me. He plants a kiss on my forehead and lingers there for a while before turning and walking out the room. I put Charlotte in her crib knowing she'll be safe there and go after him

"What was that for?" I jog to catch up with him when he abruptly stops, grabbing both sides of my face me kisses me slow at first but getting deeper and deeper.

"Jaysus, its too much" he staggers back and puts both hands on his head "Can't you see I love you damn it!"


	4. Chapter 4

"I do remember some of that night, I remember you both coming to sit with me and then Anne left to sit with Rackham, I didn't know how to start talking to you I mean you were Mary for god sake. Normally you came dressed as James, that's why I asked after him. You sat there proud and beautiful with all the men around you under your control, I started drinking more to attempt to loosen up" its so weird to hear it from another perspective but he's remembered correctly so far "you kept getting that lad to bring you drinks so I thought that's who you were interested in. I remember you saying you were going to the beach after the walk there the rest is a blur" I look at him stunned

"If you were so interested why didn't you tell me! It's not like you couldn't have come to see me!" I'm almost shouting now, so much of this could have been prevented

"I suppose we both struggled finding the right words, when you said in the court you were pregnant I cursed the bastard that had done it, especially when you told me it had been some drunk that you didn't know!" I remember that now, I had panicked so much when he had asked

"I remember you asking me that I got so scared that I'd tell ya and you would have stormed off, although it makes sense that you thought everything at the manor through for us" he smiles and embraces me in a hug "I can't say I love you Edward, but I can't say there's nothing there or our daughter wouldn't be lying in my room right now!" he kisses me on the top of my head and leads me back through to where I left her, we both sit next to each other on my bed and he puts his arms around me and together we watch our daughter.

oOoOoOoOoOo

January 10th 1721

I Wake up to find Edward staring at me, he does it ever since I moved into his room with him. Not in that way, its more he runs into my room every time Charlotte cries or he sits there watching her and falls asleep so I saved him the hassle. I said we could give things a go and see how they work out, I didn't lie when I said feelings are there and they are growing fonder each day. I find myself watching both of them now not just Charlotte, he'll sings shanties to her and she'll gurgle back in her own way. Every time she has a whimper he sorts it, when she needs feeding he sits with me waiting to get her back. Its surprised me how much this man has changed.

I listen out for Charlotte but she's fast off, I roll over hoping to get an extra few minutes sleep. Edward shuffles so that he's lying behind me one arm around my waist its usually how we fall asleep nowadays

"I love you" he whispers into my hair, he doesn't expect me to say it back yet and I'm thankful he's not pushing me on it. In a way I love when he tells me it, maybe I do love him. I play around with the words in my head, until Charlotte I can honestly say I've never loved anyone so how do I know this isn't love.

"I love you too" its so weird how the words just flow off the tip of my tongue, like I'm meant to say them. Edwards pulls me closer and we sleep like this till Charlotte deems it breakfast time.

Walking around the manor I have a strange urge to go out but there's no way I'm going unarmed, I grab my blade and a pistol leaving a note on the pillow next to Edward and set out towards my beach. Charlotte sits in my arms babbling away to herself.

"You've been here before" I whisper to her "But I thought you might like to see it this time"

The water is as warm as always so I wander out until its just up to my hips, She kicks her feet out and I'm glad she loves the sea as much as I do. I point out at the little fish in the water and watch her follow them with her eyes, I decide to move closer to the shore so I can really let her splash around.

As I suspected its not long until we are joined

"Thank you for leaving a note this time" he jokes, I thought he would appreciate it.

"I thought she should see the beach where we made all of our decisions" I hand her to him and she continues to thrash her hands about in the waves

"What exactly did you decide on this beach then?" I remember all the times I came here, how I lost track of time

"Well first of all she was going to be called William, that was because the whole time I thought she was going to be a boy. Then we wondered whether to tell you and how, she came up with a great speech I'll have you know. Then the last time I came here I decided I needed some space it was when I wondered if I should stay or not, after I had decided to stay I went in search of food and that's when on the way back I got attacked" his breath hitches, I never knew how bad it was until I had removed my bandages and saw the angry red scars that decorated my arms "Thank god Anne heard me screaming or it could have been a lot worse" I can't believe how stupid I was that day I could have lost everything all because I was too stubborn to talk to him.

"I remember that too well! I had heard people coming into the Manor and just assumed Anne had bought people back to continue drinking with, I opened your doors to found you passed out and the bed covered in blood" he brings Charlotte closer to him "That's when I sat with you, she nudged me and I spoke to her for ages. I told her stories of you, of how we met and how you told me your secret on top of the windmill!" he smiles at me and I can't believe he remembered that, although its not something you would forget quickly "When you woke up and accused me of forgetting about Caroline I suppose I flipped, although I don't know why. I guess I was more angry at myself, scared I had made you do something you didn't want to do" I kiss him on the cheek to hopefully reassure him.

"Kenway do you not know me well enough by now that if I don't want to do something, I won't?" its weird hearing him talk about Caroline, I wonder whether to ask him "Will you write to Caroline again?"

"I suppose I should really, maybe one day I'll get a reply" its a weird feeling, I don't want him to but I also don't want to be the reason he doesn't

"Will you tell her about Charlotte?" he looks down at his daughter and his brow furrows

"I suppose in time I will, but I don't think I can start a letter with Dear Caroline I have a daughter out here with a woman I love, hope your doing just grand. Sorry you never saw any of my riches" he laughs and I'm glad he finds it funny but when our situation is said like that it adds a horrible slant to it all.

"I think we should start heading back" I stand up and brush the sand off me, I put my hands out to take Charlotte so he can get up. I clutch her close to my chest, what I hoped to have been a nice day has turned rather sour.

When we are home I get Charlotte ready for a nap, on the way back I made the decision in my head that tonight I would show Edward I truly loved him. I go to the drawers in his room and grab one of his larger shirts, it barely covers me but it'll do.

I go to the doors of my old room and shout him "Edward" he comes rushing up the stairs obviously thinking it has something to do with Charlotte until he sees me stood in the doorway, I saunter in and crawl onto the bed. His footsteps confirm that he's followed me, crawling onto the bed after me he hovers just close enough so that our noses touch

"Yes Mary, can I be of assistance?" with a cheeky wink he has my shirt off swiftly followed by his own

"I can definitely think of one thing you could do" I trail my finger down his chest until I reach the band on his shorts and with my one finger undo the top button, his breath hitches so I continue until we are both completely naked "Unless you don't want this?" I smirk up at him he responds in a deep kiss which leaves me breathless

"I want you more than anything else in the world"

**Thank you to all of the beautiful people who, review, favourite or follow this story. Every time I see an email in my inbox about my fan fics I go into Cheshire cat mode, it really does make my day! Thank you all for making the end of 2013 amazing and hope that 2014 is the most amazing year yet for everyone.**

**Few specific people to thank:**

Devilsinn17 for being the first person to review this story :)  
**The Goddamn Dark Knight for reviewing each individual chapter :)  
****Gamblers Choice for reviewing two of my fan fics :)  
****Jlovesallfandoms for reviewing this fanfic :) (I fangirled a bit when you reviewed as I loved your Assassin's Creed fan fics)**

**tulzdavampslayer when I read your review I was drinking something, how I didn't spit any of it out I have no idea. although i wonder what kind of Starbucks Ah Tabai likes :P**

**I tried to find a list of my followers and favouriters (? is that a word :S ) to thank you all as well but my gosh you sexy beasts keep your names hidden well **


	5. Chapter 5

We lie in a tangled sweaty mess, neither of us wanting to move.

"I wonder what we would have been like, if you had stayed on that beach with me in the first place" he traces over my shoulder gently "I wish you had" planting a kiss on my forehead he stands and starts to dress

"And where exactly do you think your going?"

"If I'm correct the result of that mysterious night shall be awake rather soon and she'll most likely cry out for us" Edward has surprised me by how amazing he is with her, they sit there babbling away between them both. He picks up random shells he find and watches in amazement as she grips them and then chucks them away, sometimes if I nap I'll wake to find them lying in the gardens him telling her his adventures whilst she tries desperately to roll over. Apart from feeds he never leaves her, even then he sits in the room. Although these thoughts fill me with happiness another thought drifts in as if to disturb them, just like before we've had a mad night without thinking of the consequences and now within the year we might have another child. Don't get me wrong I love Charlotte but another baby whilst she's so young could be too much. Shit!

March 13th 1721

The rest of January and February passed by in a blur, I panicked at every little sign that could mean I was pregnant. Edward didn't seem to question why I was distant which I'm grateful for, he always made sure that before bed he would tuck me up with a kiss on my cheek and told me he loved me. I was never really sick with Charlotte but I was sick before this stage, so I dismissed all of the thoughts from my mind.

I walk around the manor looking for both of them, my mind had been so clogged that I had practically shut myself away. I find them in their favourite spot under the large tree outside, the past few days Edward has taken pillows out with him leaving me wondering why until I spot Charlotte propped up by about five.

"Trying to get her to sit up, she can manage it for a little while and that's where the pillows come in" he shows me proudly, Charlotte follows up with a demonstration she starts out slightly wobbly but sits upright for about four seconds until she flops forward showing that the pillows are indeed doing their jobs. Edward sits her back against the supportive pillows behind her and plonks a little wooden toy down for her, one of his crew members has been whittling her little toys out of driftwood. An old chest that Edward had dug up holds them in her room, he spoils us both rotten which makes me feel like the worse person in the world for locking him out. I go over to him and snuggle my head into his shoulder, the familiar scent of him is comforting to me.

"It's good to have you back" he whispers, following it up by kissing the top of my head and pulling me into him for a hug "We've missed you" I watch my little family and can't believe how selfish I was, granted Charlotte would have only been young but she wouldn't have missed out one little bit and Edward would have had everything he missed out with Charlotte.

"I'm glad to be back"

April 10th 1721

We fall back into our regular routines although now Charlotte is six months she isn't as dependant on me, Edward loves this and takes her round the Island when I'm busy. I wake most days to find vibrant bouquets of hibiscus and frangipanis on the table next to our bed, it means they've been exploring. It's my birthday although Edward doesn't know this, he remembers I once mentioned April so he keeps bothering me to tell him. Today is no different Edward sits next to me on our bed with Charlotte, identical sets of eyes watch me their expressions are the same as well.

"I've decided that since its your birthday soon and you won't tell us when, every day we will celebrate it one way or another and today Charlotte would like to go swimming" the past few weeks we keep going back to the far beach, I can't ignore the call of the ocean, I hate being stuck on land. We tried taking Charlotte out on the ship but before we left the harbour she threw a massive screaming match and wouldn't stop crying until she was back on solid land, Edward offered to let me go out with his crew for a bit but I knew he didn't really want me to so I didn't. So for now swimming in the sea is my release, she is and always will be my mistress and I feel I've been away from her for ages.

We reach the beach and as usual Edward stands in the shallows and allows me to swim out as far as I can. I know he misses it too, the Jackdaw sits retired in the bay and I catch him watching it from time to time. I wouldn't change Charlotte for the world but I hope in time she loves the sea as much as her parents do. I swim back to the shore where Edward sits, he puts his arm out and I join him on the sand

"I've been thinking" he kisses my forehead before continuing "I'm gonna write to Caroline one last time, I need to know what's happening" we've talked about this a few times, it always ends up with him saying he doesn't want to "I'll wait a year and if she doesn't contact me back I'll take it as she has left me once and for all" and that's how the letter came about.

I sat with him that night whilst Charlotte slept, he stared at the paper for hours before writing anything. When he was finished he handed it to me

_Dear Caroline,_

_I'm writing to you for what feels like the hundredth time, yet much has changed since I last wrote. I have a permanent residence on an island that I now own, I retired my ship although she is not fully out of service. I also write to you to tell you that I have a daughter, she truly is perfect. I remember once hoping it would be you I would have children with, but also understand that my leaving to the West Indies is what caused our split. It is because of her that I write to you to tell you that I won't be returning to Bristol and that this is a good bye letter. I understand this leaves you in quite a predicament and fully support whatever story you tell people._

_Goodbye,_

_Edward_

"You're going to tell her about Charlotte?" I look gone out, I remember a few months ago he was too worried to tell anyone he was a father and now he's telling his wife all about her, although he hasn't told her about me and for that I'm glad

"Aye, to be honest I wouldn't be surprised if she already knew, I wrote and told my mother I had a daughter the day she was born. Did you know that I wasn't back here when I heard you had given birth?" I'm so shocked he told his mother that I can't answer"I was anchored at one of the sand dunes nearby Tulum, my informant just took a while getting to me" I can imagine some poor bloke having to sail to him knowing only that I had given birth "I also told my mother about you, that I hoped Caroline would spin some story about my untimely death and that I hoped we might marry" I get up and walk away from him "What's up? I can't be that bad of a husband surely?"

"Edward there's something I haven't told you" I lead him out of the study and into the hall way where we can sit together "I was married before, it wasn't for long about two weeks actually. We were both young and believed we loved each other, he was naïve and very confident about himself. We were sailing with a crew, I was James back then to everyone else but him. The ship we were sailing on was attacked, he thought he could take on the crew of the other ship on his own almost. The last I saw of him he was surrounded by about five men, I tried to reach him but he was stabbed through the chest and thrown over board" he watches me thoughtfully whilst holding my hand with both of his "I thought I loved him, although since having Charlotte I know that I have never really known love before" I stroke his face "So know that if I don't seem all that excited about marrying you, that it has nothing to do with you or with your wife, its just that I've had a bad experience" he caresses my face back

"Does that mean you'll marry me"

"Aye, that means I'll marry ya"


	6. Chapter 6

April 13th 1721

I sit next to Charlotte's crib watching her stir, I can't believe it was six months ago that she was born. I lift her up and sort her out for the day, I fancied walking to town with her for a bit so get ready to go out. I left Edward asleep in our bed with a small note that just simply read 'love you'

Although its early plenty of people are awake and setting up shop, a familiar figure walks out of one of the houses. Anne stops as soon as she spots me, she looks unsure whether to continue to where she was going or to stop and talk to me. In the end I make the first move and walk straight to her.

"How are you Anne?" she looks nervous although she needn't be

"I've been better but I've also been a damn sight worse" she looks around as if looking for a reason to leave, I realise it must be Charlotte "How is she?"

"She's good" I feel like I'm talking to a complete stranger when in truth she is one of my dearest friends "I've missed you" Charlotte lets out an aggravated squeal and I realise that one of the tears now flowing down my cheek must have hit her, its not long till Anne is crying as well. We stand in an odd hug both crying, Charlotte fidgets to remind us that she's here

"I missed you too! But after everything that happened... I suppose it hurt to see you pregnant when I had lost everything" She wipes the errant tears from her eyes so she can get a better view of my daughter "She looks like you"

"She does, would you like to?" I motion to Charlotte offering her to Anne "I always hoped you would be a part of her life" I don't know how far to go, should I tell her everything or hold back and hope not to hurt her "I never thought I could do it alone, I always thought it would have been … us four" she looks hurt but also as if she understands, I really thought if we hadn't have been captured that me and Anne would have done our best to raise our children. After she lost Jack I still thought it would be me, her and my child. I somehow still hope she would consider seeing me more "I'm sorry I wasn't there"

"There's nothing to be sorry about! It hurt me to see you pregnant, but I didn't want you to see that. Every time I went out to the tavern was because I was originally coming to talk to you! The pain of losing him was too much for me to be around others, I suppose without drinking so much I wouldn't be working there now" I had heard she was working there, but I never wanted to bring Charlotte to there and even if I went on my own I suppose I never knew what to say "I don't know if Edward told you any of that?" he had, I think back to one of our days sat at the beach he'd told me how Anne had stopped living in the manor after I left. She had wanted to go to Nassau, I don't think she grasped how bad that whole situation was. She now owned a house in the main street, Edward had charged her nothing and gained her a job at the tavern promising her ownership when the current landlord left.

"Aye, he told me everything. You came to see me at Tulum, I wanted to come back in a sense. I wanted to help you and selfishly I suppose I needed you to help me. Without Edward I honestly don't think I could have coped" I pass Charlotte over and Anne's arms immediately envelope her, perfectly supporting my daughter like she was meant to be a mother "Your the third person she hasn't cried at when they hold her! I'm guessing that means she likes you" Anne shifts her so that she sits almost on her hip.

"I'm sorry I've missed you growing up Charlotte" she's greeted by a wide smile from my daughter "But I promise I won't miss any more, I mean it" Anne rests her cheek on my daughters head and smiles fondly at me "How has Edward taken to it all?"

"Amazingly" we start walking to the docks together, Anne walks so naturally whilst holding Charlotte "I don't believe its the same man. I just can't believe he could have missed everything!" although I love seeing my daughter and her father together I always feel a wave of guilt.

Now sat outside the Tavern Anne cradles a sleeping Charlotte in her arms "You know my greatest fear" she turns to me "I always worried that Jack wasn't his only child!" I don't know why but an uneasy feeling settles over me "I have nightmares, one of them being a woman. It was before we set sail, she came up to me in the Tavern asking about Jack. She wasn't far from giving birth, I suppose I thought nothing of it until I told her he was passed out in my room. She practically ran away from me then, I guess I realise that could well have been his child god knows he slept with enough whores before meeting me, probably whilst he was with me to" I think back to when I came across Edward on a table with some whore, after Nassau fell the party as he called it then moved to here. I'd set out to find where Thatch had left to only to come across what can only be described as madness, He wasn't the worse of the lot but he definitely wasn't innocent either. Looking for a change of subject I decide to get everything sombre out of the way

"I have nightmares too, mostly woman screaming. I swear when I wake up I can still smell that prison! Still feel the cold of that floor!" nothing Edward can do or say stops them. Sometimes I get as far as standing at the gallows, waking only when I've dropped "I'm sorry you're going through them on your own" I take her hand in an attempt to comfort her, I can't imagine being in that hell on my own "I think you were the only reason I made it that far, so many times I would have given up if I couldn't have told you what went through my mind. I know I wasn't but I hope you know that I'm here for you! Any time you need me. I owe you my life on more than one occasion" she squeezes my hand back and I'm grateful to have my friend back

"I saved your life? it was you who saved me by bringing me here" her eyes cloud up but she swallows back the tears "I hope with time I'll go back there"

"We will, we both have demons there and we can fight them together! It scares me to think that women are still being held there. Their children being ripped from their arms! Maybe someone should do something about it" I stare down at Charlotte "She hasn't quite gained her sea legs yet, but when she does I think we should show her Tulum!"

We continue as if nothing bad ever happened between us eventually she leaves us to start her shift, I take a slow potter back to the manor. Edward leans on the archway smiling at us both, I return his smile but something Anne says sticks in the back of my mind _wasn't his only child_, if I had Charlotte after just one night, how many more set of his eyes stare at their mothers?

**sorry this took so long! I went for a week away with my partner to Edinburgh and stupidly didn't take my laptop :( although sitting on top of Arthur's seat and receiving a review saying this is one of someone's favourite fanfics! it made me wanna cry! love you all thank you for reviewing, favourting and following this fanfic :D**


	7. Hell Hath No Fury

**Warning - Contains spoilers for freedom cry**

May 1st 1721

I've seen Anne every day since we started talking, its as if no time has passed. Our running joke starts with Anne shouting "Ahoy Captain" as to which I shout back "Quartermaster. What's our present course?" we can't keep the façade up for long and it always ends in us laughing uncontrollably, sometimes I bring Charlotte with me and then sometimes Edward watches her. We told Edward of plans to destroy the prison that haunts us, he listened and humoured our plans or so I had thought.

That was until the Frigate turned up, Edward led me and Anne to the docks early in the morning. The Reynaldo's Spanish flag still flapped in the wind, its decorative design looked battered but still grand.

"It's yours" he looked rather chuffed with himself, Arms folded over his chest rather proudly

"You've got me a ship?" Anne looks as baffled as I do

"Aye, a frigate to be precise. My Crew fetched it last night" compared to my old schooner its a beast of a ship, apart from a small bit of damage on its starboard side its in immaculate condition "You said you wanted to sail again, I wanted a man of war for you. Told my crew that they were to get the biggest they could"

"Aye she's a beauty, Reynaldo is a Terrible name for a ship though" I climb on deck its so grand that even the rails have exquisite detail, its one of the prettiest ships I have ever seen. That's how I decide her name "I'm gonna rename her The Charlotte" I can't wait to show my daughter her ship.

It takes a month till I'm happy with how the ship looks, she could strike fear into any man's heart. She's been painted so that she is all black with her detail in blood red, as an ode to Anne I had the mermaid figurehead whittled to resemble her. To match the fear of the ship the sails were died a deep red, instead of the 24 cannons that it originally held its now up to its maximum of 46.

After The Charlotte is full upgraded to my standards me, Anne and Edward sit down to make a plan. There is enough people to make up a crew and a half so before we sail to Kingston we need to go to Tulum for some more crew members, Me and Anne decided that our crew will be made up of as many women that Ah Tabai can spare. We felt the women we would be saving would feel safer, Edward wants to come with us taking the Jackdaw but before I agree I want to find someone I feel safe enough watching Charlotte.

We do find someone to watch Charlotte but that doesn't stop me worrying, I drill her with every question I can think of before I'm remotely happy to leave her without us.

June 13th 1721

The day we set sail I cry more than I have ever cried before, as we sail away I want to do nothing more than dive of the back of my ship. Nothing anyone says can console me, one of the crew takes the wheel until I can't see Inagua any more. Anne puts her hand on my shoulder which upsets me, if I felt like this leaving my daughter behind for a week, what will it feel like for her going to the two places where she lost everything. Edward pulls along side us to see if I'm okay, I lie and plaster a false smile on.

We reach Tulum and go ashore when Edward reaches me, he envelopes me in a hug but the sadness is still there. All my attention goes to Anne as we walk between a line of huts identical to the one we shared, the talk with Ah Tabai doesn't take long. Our Crew is assembled and somehow its all females with sailing experience or enough knowledge, I sort out handing them the clothes me and Anne sorted.

After explaining our plans we go to the hut where we lived, before we even reach it Anne breaks down and I'm left holding her like I did that day feeling completely useless.

"Lets get the ones that did this to us" I whisper into her hair "Lets make them pay" her crying slows so I move to just holding her hand.

When we reach the ship our crew have changed and look truly menacing, Hell hath no fury like a woman.

I go to my cabin to get ready as well. I paint my eyes black and my lips a darker shade of red, even I have to admit I look scary.

Edwards look from the Jackdaw confirm it, its the same look he gave me when I told him I was a woman. I took a leaf from Blackbeard's book for theatrics, all of the crew were told to wear 1 red token and darken their make up.

The crew start singing although its quite low, it sounds haunting to me, I can only hope it reaches the land. I recognize the song and join in with my crew

The King and his Men  
Stole the Queen from her bed  
And bound her in her bones  
The Seas be ours and by the Powers  
Where we will, we'll roam

Yo, Ho, all hands  
Hoist The Colours high  
Heave, Ho, Thieves and Beggers  
Never shall we Die!

Yo, Ho, all together  
Hoist The Colours high  
Heave, Ho, Thieves and Beggars  
Never shall we Die!

Some men have died  
And some are alive  
Others sail on the sea  
With keys to the cage  
And the Devil to pay  
We lay to Fiddler's Green!

The bell has been raised  
From it's watery grave  
Hear it's sepruchal tone  
A call to all  
Pay head the squall  
Turn your sail towards home!

Yo, Ho, all together  
Hoist The Colours high  
Heave, Ho, Thieves and Beggars  
Never shall we Die!

Although we shall not die, the same cannot be said for any guards I come across. I hope to unleash a hell on those who put me through one, the call for land goes up so I signal to Edward to hold back.

We go ashore and slice down the first 2 guards stood closest to the beach, we spread out taking down guards as we go as if slicing at ghosts. I feel confident until a big bastard swings his axe at me, I manage to dodge at the last second. Our dance continues for a while before he catches me with the back of his hand, I didn't realise how out of touch I was. I turn to face him just in time to see his forehead open, I swing round to see Edward sheathing his pistol. With a nod I run into the prison and deal with the guards there, I'm grateful that my crew is made up purely of assassins, without them this could have been a lot harder. I let out the signal for Edward's crew to finish the rest of the prison and help the woman to my ship, Anne comes up to me holding an infant in one arm and holding his weak mother up with the other arm. I remember the conditions being appalling but staring at them now, I realise I didn't bring hell because hell was always here.

When we have all of the women on board Edward shouts of the orders to destroy the prison, cannonballs fly through the walls leaving only rubble and dust, it floats up like a ghost as if the lives that place stole are finally free. I reach for Anne's hand and we sail off, knowing that we have prevented an incurable pain for someone, but knowing that there are other hells out there no different to where we were kept.

We sail back side by side glad that went as well as it did, almost too well! That's when I spot them, two hunters heading directly towards us. Shit! They must have seen the smoke billowing from the prison. Edward peels off so I'm left shouting after him, I follow him shouting my crew to be ready for a fight.

The fight is closely matched but I take down the first one and prepare to finish the second one off with Edward when I see him dive from the deck into the sea, followed by an almighty explosion ripping through the Jackdaw. Panic ensues as I scream for Edward scanning the water but finding nothing, thank god my crew knew what they were doing as the carcass of the second hunter gets ripped to shreds. As soon as I see it go down I dive into the water, I spot him almost immediately and swim as hard as I can. Dragging Edward to the surface takes its toll on me so by the time I reach it I'm so tired, with my last ounce of energy I scream to Anne. Two of my newly appointed crew swim out and drag us on-board, struggling to regain my breath I hover near Edward.

"Edward" I muster a whisper but no more, the same two that saved us from the water start to pump on Edward's chest until he coughs and brings up water.

Tears slip down my cheeks when I crawl over to him

"Didn't think you could get rid of me that easily did you love" he strokes my tears away, I hide my face in his chest and stay that way for the rest of the journey until we reach Inagua.

**I blame this chapter on Pirates of the Caribbean, I'm sorry for killing the jackdaw I was really sad when I came across it sunk in Freedom Cry. So I thought Edward would only accept losing it saving someone he loves, sorry again guys.**

**thanks for all the reviews, favourites and follows. YOU ARE ALL SO AMAZING!**


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